Loom shuttle



NOV 5, 940- .1. B. DAUDELEN ETAL 2,220,812

` 4 LOOM SHUTTLE Filed Aug. ll, 1939 -shuttle is an opening. includinea threading Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED sTATEs LooM SHUTTLE Jean B. naudelin and Evariste E. Talbot, Fallv River, Mass.

Application August 11, 1939, Serial No.1289,546 s clams; 01. 13e-223)` This invention relates to shuttles of the automatic threading type designed primarily for use in automatic weft replenisliing looms.` This application is a continuation in part of ourl c0- pending application Ser. No. 191,224, filed February 18, 1938.

In our earlier application we have disclosed a shuttle equipped with automatic threading devices so constructed and 'arranged that'they operate satisfactorily with both right and left Wound bobbins. This is a substantial improvement in automatic or self-threading shuttles. the construction shown in that application, however, the thread guiding elements were made of .wire and consequently, if the shuttles Were roughly handled there was danger of one or more of these elements being bent suiciently to interfere with the proper operation of the device. It

is the chief object of the present invention, therefore, to carry forward the general idea dis-H closed in our earlier application and to embody that idea in a more substantial and thoroughly reliable form capable ofv withstanding zany amount of abuse which such shuttles may rea- L4sonably be expected to survive in practical operation. Y

Attainment of these and other objects of the invention will be readily understood from the following description` when read in connection `with the accompanying drawing and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a novel thread-l ing plate element of our invention.-

Fig. 2 is. another perspective view illustrating c a portion of a shuttle and shows parts recessed to receive the element shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the shuttle with the element of Fig 1 assembled therein. Fig. 4 is an elevation illustrating the front end of the shuttle -with the plate element in-V serted.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation illustrating Referring in detail to the drawing, and in par-v j ticular to Figs. 2-6 inclusive, a shuttle 2 is there shown formed with a chamber 3 adapted to receive a bobbin. Beginning at the front of the chamber 3 and extending forwardly of the groove 4 of the usual character. Intersecting the to form the tip G, which may be 'referred to as a nose piece although this element is not vto be confused with the nose 'l fof theshuttle. lThe slot 5,1eads to a thread delivery eye 3 of thef,

usualconstruction. f v .Y

When in operation thread drawn froml the bobbin passes through the bottom `of slot 4 for"l a short distance and then turns abruptly and runs through lthe inner end of the slot 5 and.

out of the'eye 8. `In effecting automatic thread ing, the slots are helpful, as `are also the motion of the shuttle andthe manner, in which the` thread of the bobbin ssecured while the trans-VVA ferring or bobbin changing operation is ,per-k formed, but none of these may berelied upon `to ensure the threading taking place. Even vif the threading operation starts properly, `there is aV strong tendency.v for the thread to escape `from its guides during its flight, either because 'of the motion-of A the shuttle, the action-of airfcurrents created bysuch motion, the ballooning ofthe thread, or a `combination of these factors and others. A common action appears to-be that a loop of thread starting perhaps in the bobbin chamberwill often-run throughthe groove 4 and release the thread,- or a loop may form in rthe opposite direction and'produce a release in a similar manner; :Either ofthese actions is much' more likely tooccur before: the threading operation has been entirely completed. y 1

. The present invention` dealsespecially `with Y these conditions and it provides elements which serve both to facilitate theinitial threading up and also to'prevent a looping out action of the v.

nature j ust described y As shown, the invention comprises a unitary threading plate P of the form'illustrated inv Fig.

1. Preferably the plate yis madeof metal by die casting, -although other rmaterials and methods.'

of manufacture may be resortedy to. It is pro-` vided with apost Sv adapted Ato extend vertically through a hole lli to the lowerside ofthe shuttle,y

where the hole is enlarged to provide a recess H to accommodate the nut l2 and lockv washer' I I3 which firmly secure the plate in the shuttle.

, Thus the lower extremity of the post andthe nut l2 are located Awithin the body of the shuttle,

and the necessary smooth contour of the latterv is preserved. The shuttle also is recessedv at f its upper side to provide a flat ledge it for sup-f to the left of such wall.

shuttle, as may be better seen in Figs. 2 and 6. In addition to securing the plate P in the desired vertical position in the shuttle, we also eliminate any possible pivoting action by means of lugs IE and il formed at either end of the plate and located in correspondingly shaped holes or sockets I8 and i9 in the shuttle.

At the lower side of the plate P and approximately midway thereof, a guard 2|) is formed integral with the plate. This element is somewhat wedge-shaped in transverse section, as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 6, and it is provided at opposite ends with V-shaped notches 23 and 24, respectively. That part of the plate immediately adjacent to the guard which, .together with it, may be referred to as the"guard portion of the plate, extends laterally across thethreading groove 4, from one side thereof to the other,

and the plate supports the guard in a recess 2| formed in the shuttle at the opposite side of said groove. Suiiicient clearance is provided between the lower edge 22 of the guard and the adjacent walls of the recess for the free movement of the thread downwardly over and around the guard and into the groove. The inner surface of the guard is disposed approximately vertically, as shown at 20a in Fig. 6, while its outer surface slopes downwardly and rearwardly from the extreme edge 25 of the plate to a lower edge 22 on the guard. The entire guard preferably overlies the floor of the recess 2| and the rearward or inner surface 20a of the guard may either be in line with the left-hand wall, Fig. 6, of the threading slot 4, or it may be spaced somewhat It should be noted that the plate widens as it extends forward; that it overlies the groove 4 for most of the length of the latter, and that its edge 25 crosses the groove 4 diagonally at the throat of the shuttle, as best shown in Fig. 3, and continues in this direction forward to a point laterally offset from, and in front of, the nose 6. It then turns, as shown in Fig. 3, and extends diagonally forward in the oppositely inclined direction to the forward end of the plate, curving downwardly as shown at 21. This contour is of advantage for reasons that will presently be explained.

It will also be noted that that portion of the shuttle adjacent the front end of the bobbin chamber at the right-hand side of groove 4, Fig. 2, has been formed with a surface 26 which inclines toward the groove. In a somewhat similar manner that portion of the plate P beginning at the lug I6 is for a short distance likewise inclined toward groove 4, as may be seen from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 7. These two inclined surfaces form part of the throat immediately forward of the bobbin chamber and they cooperate in guiding the thread properly into the groove 4 during the threading-up operation, regardless of whether the bobbin is wound right or left-hand.

When a full bobbin has been forced into the shuttle with the simultaneous ejection of the spent bobbin, and the shuttle starts on its next flight through the shed, the diagonally disposed guiding edge 25 deiiects the thread into a slightly off-center relationship to the groove 4, but it cooperates with the forward pull on the thread from a point behind the shuttle to guide the thread around this edge,`over and around the guard 2|) and down into the groove. This action normally occurs early in the first pick after a new bobbin has been forced into the shuttle.

Uponrthe next pick, the thread normally slips` through the slot 5 and into the eye 8. If, however, a loop starts to run backwardly through the groove 4, tending to escape from it, the edge 25 guides this loop directly into the front notch 24 in the guard 20 and prevents the shuttle from unthreading. Similarly, if a loop starts in the opposite direction to escape from the slot 4, as for example due to the momentum of the balloon coming off the bobbin, then theedge 25 will guide this loop into the rearward notch 23 and effectually prevent its escape. Either condition usually will correct itself during the next pick. The tip of the nose B is guarded by the edge rib 2l, Fig. 1, which serves both to protect it mechanically and also to guide the thread under said tip and into the slot 5 at the beginning of the second pick after the bobbin has been changed in the shuttle. The upper surface of this tip is positioned at a higher elevation than the lower edge of the rib 21 to facilitate this thread guiding action. The relation of this rib to the nose tip is best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. It

will thus be seen that the threading plate operates with a high degree of certainty and that it accommodates with equal facility either a righthand or left-hand wound bobbin.

In this connection it should be observed that the thread slides in behind the guard 20 at a very early point in the threading operation, largely because of the fact that this guard is located immediately under and very close to the marginal portion of the thread guiding plate and above the normal path of travel of the thread even during the threading-up operation. It is much above that level after the shuttle has made its second pick. In this connection note that while the shuttle is making its rst pick the lthread is running along the bottom of the portion 4', Fig. 2, of the threading groove which lies below the bottom of the socket I9. When the thread has once passed beyond the lower edge 22 of this guard and into the threading slot 4', it is thereafter practically impossible for it to loop out.

An important feature of the invention resides in the shape of plate P and its relationship to the guard 20 and slot 4. The fact that the rear portion of the plate P is inclined toward the groove 4 at the start and crosses the groove 4 diagonally serves to guide the thread properly both during an intial threading-up operation and also during any subsequent tendency to loop out as above described.

It is further pointed out that the several elements comprising the guard 2|) with its notches 23 and 24, and the guiding edge 25 are all integral with the plate P and as a result are maintained permanently in a xed relation with respect to one another, and cannot get out of adjustment. Also the plate P, together with the elements referred to, is so firmly secured to the shuttle that no ymovement of the plate in the shuttle, with resulting faulty adjustment, can occur. This is particularly provided for by the nut and lock washer arrangement at the bottom of the post 9, and the lugs I6 and engaged in openings formed in the shuttle, by which both horizontal and vertical movement of the plate in the shuttle is prevented. 'Ihus the several elements of the plate are locked in a permanent position with respect to the groove 4 and recess 2| of the shuttle.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the invention provides a threading device of simple and 4eliicient construction, which can be made and -installed economically, and which is adaptedl to `withstand effectively .the roughusage .to which shuttles are necessarily subjected Yvvvhileinuse.

While we have herein shown a preferred .embodiment of our invention, vit will be understood that other formsimay be resorted to in keeping with the spirit of the invention. f

Having thus described our invention what we desire to claim as .new is:

l. A loom shuttle provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading groove extending forwardly from said chamber and formed in the material of the shuttle, a metal plate anchored in the shuttle at one side of said groove and extending across the groove, a guard integral with the said plate, said guard being positioned above the opposite side of said groove in spaced relationship to the walls of a recess formed in the material of the shuttle at said opposite side, and means associated with said plate for solidly xing the same in the shuttle, thereby to permanently maintain said guard properly spaced from the walls of said recess.

2. A loom shuttle provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading groove extending forwardly from said chamber and formed in the material of the shuttle, a metal plate anchored in the shuttle at one side of said groove, said plate overlying the groove and having a guard integral therewith, said guard overlying the opposite side of said groove and being located above the normal running position of the thread so that the thread must pass over, around and under said guard in moving into the said groove, a recess formed in the material of the shuttle at the other side of the groove, said guard extending across the groove and into said recess and having a thread-trapping notch in one end thereof, and said plate being formed with a guiding edge extending along said groove diagonally with reference thereto and immediately above and close to the guard where it will guide a loop tending to escape from said groove into said notch in the guard and prevent such escape.

3. A loom shuttle provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading groove extending for,- wardly from said chamber and formed in the material of the shuttle, a metal threading plate anchored in the shuttle at one side of said groove, a guard on said plate, said plate extending laterally across said groove from one wall thereof into overlapping relationship with the opposite wall and so positioning said guard that it lies above the normal running position of the thread where the thread must pass over, around, and under said guard in moving into its running position, said guard extending into a recess in said opposite wall and having thread-trapping notches in the front and-rear ends thereof, said plate presenting a guiding edge integral with said guard and extending along said groove above said guard where it serves to guide a loop of thread into one or the other of said notches when such a loop travels along the guide either forward of or backward thro-ugh the groove.

4. A loom shuttle provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading groove extending forwardly from said chamber, a metal plate having a guard portion extending laterally across said groove from one wall thereof into overlapping relationship with the opposite wall and lying above the normal running position of the'thread so that the thread must pass over, around and under said guard portion in moving into running position, and said shuttle including a throat portion `at `approximately the .junction .of Athe.

said .plate with said chamber comprising, :at .one

side, a shuttle wall inclined Atoward the groove and `atthe .opposite side an inclined surface .of

said plate .also inclined toward said groove, said throat portion being adapted to'guide the thread into the groove, a guard forming `a part of said guard portion of the plate, said plate also having a guiding edge extending in a diagonal direction across said groove immediately above :said guard and close to it whereby during the threading operation the thread must pass over, and downwardly around said edge into the said groove, and means securing said plate in its operative position in said shuttle.

5. A loom shuttle provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading groove extending forwardly from said chamber, a threading platev mounted in the shuttle at one side of said groove but extending across the threading groove into overlapping relationshipy with the opposite wall thereof, a guard integral with said plate and lying above the normal running position of the thread at the latter side of the groove, said plate having a guiding edge extending diagonally across said groove and directing the thread as it unwinds from a bobbin in said chamber into said groove, irrespective of the direction of wind of the thread, said guard having thread trapping notches at its forward and rearward ends and the outer surface of said guard sloping backwardly and downwardly from the guiding edge of said plate, under the plate, and the `rearward. face of said guard rising abruptly from the lower edge thereof and meeting the plate.

6. A loom shuttle provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading groove extending forwardly from said chamber, a threading plate supported in the shuttle at one side of said groove, a guard element integral with the said plate and positioned in a recess at the opposite side thereof of said grooveso that a thread must pass over, around and under the guard in moving into the said groove, said plate being provided at its under side with a post passing through the shuttle, and fastening means engaging said post and cooperating therewith to secure it in its operative position, said plate being provided at its front and rear ends with lug portions engaged in the shuttle for maintaining the said plate throughout its length in xed relation to the said groove.

7. A loom shuttle having a bobbin chamber, a thread guiding groove extending forward from said chamber, a thread delivery eye at one side of said shuttle and a laterally disposed slot communicating with said eye and intersecting said groove, said slot cooperating with said groove to provide a nose piece around which. the thread must be passed during the threading operation, in combination with a threading plate anchored in the wall of said shuttle at the opposite side of said groove from said nose piece, said plate extending across said groove and having a thread guiding edge overlying said nose piece, said edge being curved around in front of said nose piece and then extending diagonally forward to the opposite wall of said groove and the plate having a recessed portion overlying the tip of said nose, said plate having a guard overlying a portion of said nose piece and located in a recess in said nose piece, the outer surface of said guard sloping downwardly and rearwardly from the thread guiding edge of said plate toward said` groove, the guard having thread trapping shoulders at the opposite ends thereof.

8. A guiding device for the threading mechanism of a self-threadingv shuttle, comprising a plate adapted to be fitted intov a part of a shuttle beside the thread groove therein and having a rounded thread guiding edge diagonally disposed with reference to the length of the plate and provided with a rounded forward end, -said forward end having a thickened edge and a recess immediately behind said thickened edge, and a guard.

p JEAN B. DAUDELIN.

EVARISTE E. TALBOT. 

